Aphasia is a condition that may be caused by a stroke or head injury but can also be caused by a tumour or other neurological condition. In the case of 'primary progressive aphasia' there is new research emerging that shows that it could be caused by a specific combination of prion gene variants.
There are two main forms of 'aphasia':
Broca's aphasia, which is caused by damage to the frontal lobe of the brain, leading to difficulty speaking. Formation of words may be difficult and writing ability may become limited.
Wernick's aphasia, which is caused by damage to the temporal lobe. This can lead to problems speaking where a person may speak easily but with little or no meaning. They may use un-necessary words, create new words and may also have difficulty understanding speech.
Primary progressive aphasia is classified as a type of frontotemporal dementia because of the pattern of brain degeneration it causes. The primary symptoms of the disease are problems speaking or understanding speech, that gradually get worse over time. There may also be problems with maths. Although most other functions will remain the same for several years eventually other problems will emerge such as problems with memory, attention, reasoning and spatial abilities. Personality and behaviour may well also diminish.
I'm afraid I know of no specific treatment. I have seen slight improvement in people with this problem when given natural remedies for stress. In the case I have in mind I used a blend of Homeobotanical 'Trauma' and 'E'. St. John's Wort may also be of help. As research is obviously continuing it would be a good idea to keep a watch on the internet and for further developments in this field.
All information on this page has been compiled by Alison Odey from personal research and from results seen and experienced over 20 years in private practice. It is not intended to diagnose or to be construed as medical advice, but to inform the reader of alternative options that may be available to them. Any remedy mentioned in the text can be obtained by contacting the writer:
Contacts: Phone -64 7 5721147 Website www.alisonodey.com
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